Video: Young minds learn lessons in black history

First-grade students at Northstar Christian Academy in Gates spent the past month studying African Americans’ contributions to the world.

Amy Cavalier

Carter G. Woodson would be proud.

For the past month, first-graders at Northstar Christian Academy have immersed themselves in African-American culture and history with the help of some parents. Woodson founded Black History Week in 1926. According to first-grader Michael Brown, it later became Black History Month.

Michael did a presentation on Woodson for the first-graders at Northstar on Tuesday, Feb. 26. According to his research, Woodson’s heroes were Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, both of whom were born in February. That’s why he chose that month in which to celebrate Black History.

Michael’s twin brother, Miles, did his presentation on Douglass and the Underground Railroad.

“I ask that we not only take time in the month of February to learn about the history of my African-American ancestors, but everyday appreciate their past and be proud,” Miles told his class.

The student presentations are just a part of Northstar’s Black History Month celebration, which was prompted by two mothers at the school. Kimberly Felton brought up the idea of having a full month of activities in February to her son Caleb’s teacher, Barbara Stiles, during an open house at the start of the year.

“I’ve got a little over 50 percent black students, so I thought, ‘why not?,’” said Stiles.

Portia James, whose son, Marcellus, is in first grade at Northstar, volunteered to help Felton. She also received help from Jacqueline Brown, mother of Miles and Michael Brown, and support from the first-grade teachers, as well as the art and music teachers, and school librarian and principal Chris Boshnack.

Stiles’ and Rebecca Chambers’ first-grade classes have participated in Black History Month activities every day this month. Students have played Black History Month bingo. In the library, they’ve taken part in a special scavenger hunt aimed at raising awareness about African-Americans’ contributions in history. In music, they learned the song “Lift Every Voice.” And on the weekends, they took home materials on famous African-American inventors to study with their parents. Some inventors included Henry Sampson, maker of the cellular phone; George Washington Carver, originator of peanut butter; Edmond Berger, who created the spark plug, and Garret Morgan, inventor of the traffic light.

There were also coloring books, decorations in the hall reminding students of Black History Month, and lessons on famous African-Americans in the various subjects. The week wrapped up with student presentations.

Lonnie Pollocks introduced his classmates to Kwanzaa, a week-long holiday celebrated by African-Americans from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. The flag, he explained, consists of three colors – “black for the people, red for the struggle, and green for the future and the hope that comes with it.”

Collin Nasso brought a golf club and a tennis racquet to school for his presentation on Althea Gibson, a famous golfer and tennis player, and the first African-American woman to complete on the world tennis tour.

Alexa King told her classmates about Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

James said she hopes students gain a greater appreciation for the diversity around them.

“It was a learning experience, and it’s something I’d like to continue with my children on a regular basis, not just wait for Black History Month to explore,” she said. “Even as adults you’re continuously learning, and so through the study and preparation for the class, there was still a lot of ‘aha’ moments for me.”

Amy Cavalier can be reached at (585) 394-0770, Ext. 243, or at acavalier@mpnewspapers.com.